Lord Mayor inspects progress as new Finglas public library nears completion

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy, has welcomed the progress being made on the new Finglas library which is nearing completion and set to open later this summer. 

The new Library is located on Seamus Ennis Road, on the site of a former An Post sorting office, which was acquired by Dublin City Council in 2020.

The building is being upcycled and fully retrofitted to provide a vibrant new space for the community.

The new library will replace the existing service, which opened in 1980 and is located on the first floor of the Finglas Village Centre.

The existing library will close on June 24th and the new library will open as soon as final fit-out is complete.

Speaking at a site visit the Lord Mayor of Dublin said, “I am delighted to see the progress on the new library which will be a modern, universally accessible community space, and I look forward to seeing the exciting new services that the library will deliver for the people of Finglas.

“To mark the end of my term as Lord Mayor of Dublin I intend to donate a collection of books gifted to me during my time in office so that they can be read and enjoyed by the city’s library users.

“I am also pleased to see that the project approach has been to retain and upcycle an existing, vacant building instead of knocking it down and re-building, taking a low energy approach and contributing to Dublin City’s sustainability objectives.”

It is expected that the new library will welcome its first visitors later in the summer with an official opening event for the community in the Autumn.

Pictured at the library are Dublin City Librarian Mairead Owens and Dublin Lord Mayor Caroline Conroy.
Fennell Photography

Dublin City Librarian, Mairead Owens said, “This project is delivering on the ambition to provide a new community library for the people of Finglas with free, open and universally accessible space for all.

“The new library should also contribute positively to the regeneration strategy for Finglas village in a way that will assist the transformation of the centre of Finglas through the creation of a strong civic focal point for the area.”

The project includes external landscaping to the front of the library.

Louise Cotter of project architects Cotter and Naessens said, “The front lawn has been reconfigured to provide a pocket park with a new seating hub and a gently sloped pathway set in landscaped grounds.

“The access solution proposed is integrated into a landscape proposal whereby a gentle approach is threaded through the green space between the library and pavement.

“The use of scented plants in the triangular plots between the paths might aid navigation and enhance the sensory experience of pedestrians and wheelchair users, and particularly those of limited sight.

“This is just one of the design measures adopted to enhance the experience of all visitors to the library and make it a truly inclusive space.”